- name
- gf-lint
- description
- SystemVerilog lint checker with structured output for orchestration. Runs Verilator lint, categorizes errors/warnings, explains issues, and returns a parseable result block for /gf orchestration.
- allowed-tools
- ["Bash","Read","Glob"]
# GF Lint Skill
Lint SystemVerilog files with structured output for orchestration.
## Tool Detection
Before running lint, check if Verilator is available:
```bash
which verilator
```
If Verilator is not available, check for Verible:
```bash
which verible-verilog-lint
```
If neither is available, return immediately:
```
---GATEFLOW-RESULT---
STATUS: ERROR
ERRORS: 0
WARNINGS: 0
FILES: []
DETAILS: No lint tool available. Install Verilator (recommended) or Verible.
macOS: brew install verilator
Linux: sudo apt install verilator
---END-GATEFLOW-RESULT---
```
Do NOT attempt to lint without a tool. Return the ERROR status and let the orchestrator handle it.
---
## Instructions
### 1. Identify Files to Lint
**If files specified in args:**
Use the provided file paths.
**If no files specified:**
Auto-detect SV files:
```bash
ls *.sv rtl/*.sv 2>/dev/null | head -20
```
### 2. Run Verilator Lint
```bash
verilator --lint-only -Wall <files>
```
### 3. Parse and Categorize Output
Count issues by category:
- **ERRORS**: `%Error:` lines - must be fixed
- **WARNINGS**: `%Warning-*:` lines - should be reviewed
### 4. Explain Common Warnings
For each warning type found, explain:
| Warning | Meaning | Fix |
|---------|---------|-----|
| UNUSED | Signal declared but not used | Remove signal or suppress with `/* verilator lint_off UNUSED */` |
| UNDRIVEN | Signal never assigned a value | Assign the signal or connect it |
| WIDTH | Bit width mismatch in operation | Add explicit sizing: `[7:0]` |
| CASEINCOMPLETE | Case statement missing items | Add `default:` branch |
| LATCH | Inferred latch from incomplete if/case | Add default assignment at start of always_comb |
| BLKSEQ | Blocking assignment in always_ff | Use `<=` (non-blocking) in sequential blocks |
| PINCONNECTEMPTY | Module port left unconnected | Connect or explicitly mark as `.*` |
| IMPLICIT | Implicit wire declaration | Declare with `logic` or `wire` |
### 5. Return Structured Result
**ALWAYS end your response with this exact block format:**
```
---GATEFLOW-RESULT---
STATUS: PASS|FAIL|ERROR
ERRORS: <count>
WARNINGS: <count>
FILES: <comma-separated list>
DETAILS: <one-line summary>
---END-GATEFLOW-RESULT---
```
**Status definitions:**
- `PASS`: No errors, warnings OK (0-N warnings acceptable)
- `FAIL`: One or more errors found
- `ERROR`: Could not run lint (missing files, tool error)
### 6. Example Output
```
Running lint on: rtl/fifo.sv, rtl/uart.sv
$ verilator --lint-only -Wall rtl/fifo.sv rtl/uart.sv
%Warning-UNUSED: rtl/fifo.sv:25: Signal 'debug_flag' is not used
%Warning-WIDTH: rtl/uart.sv:42: Operator ASSIGN expects 8 bits but got 16
## Summary
**Files:** 2 | **Errors:** 0 | **Warnings:** 2
### Warnings Explained
1. **UNUSED** (rtl/fifo.sv:25): `debug_flag` is declared but never read
- Fix: Remove if unneeded, or suppress with lint pragma
2. **WIDTH** (rtl/uart.sv:42): Assigning 16-bit value to 8-bit signal
- Fix: Truncate explicitly `data[7:0]` or widen the target
---GATEFLOW-RESULT---
STATUS: PASS
ERRORS: 0
WARNINGS: 2
FILES: rtl/fifo.sv,rtl/uart.sv
DETAILS: Lint passed with 2 warnings
---END-GATEFLOW-RESULT---
```
### 7. Error Case Example
```
$ verilator --lint-only -Wall rtl/broken.sv
%Error: rtl/broken.sv:10: syntax error, unexpected IDENTIFIER
---GATEFLOW-RESULT---
STATUS: FAIL
ERRORS: 1
WARNINGS: 0
FILES: rtl/broken.sv
DETAILS: Syntax error on line 10
---END-GATEFLOW-RESULT---
```
## Usage by /gf Orchestrator
The `/gf` skill uses this skill internally and parses the result block:
```
Parse ---GATEFLOW-RESULT--- block:
- STATUS: PASS -> proceed to next step
- STATUS: FAIL -> spawn sv-refactor agent with error context
- STATUS: ERROR -> report issue to user
```
## Verilator v5 New Warnings
### Lint Warnings (enabled by -Wall)
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| ASSIGNEQEXPR | `=` used inside expression (may mean `==`) |
| ALWNEVER | `always @*` has empty event list |
| ALWCOMBORDER | Variable set after use in `always_comb` |
| IMPLICITSTATIC | Task/function variable implicitly static |
| WIDTHEXPAND | Value is zero-expanded |
| WIDTHTRUNC | Value is truncated |
| ENUMVALUE | Enum assigned incompatible type |
| CASEOVERLAP | Case values overlap |
| CASTCONST | `$cast` always succeeds or fails |
| CMPCONST | Comparison always yields constant |
| MISINDENT | Misleading indentation |
| MULTIDRIVEN | Signal driven by multiple always blocks |
| SYNCASYNCNET | Signal mixed sync/async resets |
| INFINITELOOP | Loop condition always true |
| SELRANGE | Selection index out of bounds |
### Style Warnings (enabled by -Wall)
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| ASCRANGE | Packed vector with ascending range `[0:7]` |
| DECLFILENAME | Module name doesn't match filename |
| DEFPARAM | Deprecated `defparam` |
| GENUNNAMED | Generate block unnamed |
| IMPORTSTAR | `import pkg::*` in `$unit` scope |
### v5 Behavior Changes
- WIDTH is now a meta-category: disabling WIDTH disables WIDTHEXPAND + WIDTHTRUNC
- `--assert` enabled by default since v5.038
- `--lint-only` now implies `--timing`
## Warning Suppression
### Inline Pragma
```systemverilog
/* verilator lint_off WIDTH */
assign narrow = wide;
/* verilator lint_on WIDTH */
```
### Control File
```
lint_off -rule WIDTH -file "*.sv" -match "Operator ASSIGN*"
```
## Error Message Format
```
%Error: file.sv:42:5: syntax error, unexpected ';'
%Warning-WIDTH: file.sv:25:15: Operator ASSIGN expects 8 bits
```
### Exit Codes
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | Success (no errors or fatal warnings) |
| 1 | Errors or warnings (warnings are fatal by default) |
Use `-Wno-fatal` to make warnings non-fatal.
## Machine-Readable Output
```bash
verilator --lint-only --diagnostics-sarif *.sv # SARIF JSON output
```
View on GitHub